Method for in vitro blood testing

摘要

Method for determining the presence of a malady in a patient by measuring the degree of reaction of individual types of white blood cells (basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes) in the patient's blood. The degree of reaction of each type of white blood cells is determined by comparing the volumetric size distributions of the types of white blood cells before and after exposure to suspected reactants. Positive results of a change in the volumetric size distribution of the individual types of white blood cells in response to exposure to a specific reactant indicates the presence of a specific malady, such as an allergic reaction to the suspected reactant.

主权项

1. A method for diagnosing whether a subject is sensitive to a reactant associated with a specific malady, the method comprising the steps of:
separating a sample of the subject's blood having at least first and second types of white blood cells into a control sample and at least one test sample, each of said control sample and said at least one test sample having a distribution of said at least first and second types of white blood cells substantially equal to that of said sample; determining size distributions for each of said first and second types of white blood cells in said control sample; introducing a suspected reactant, associated with a specific malady, to said at least one test sample; determining size distributions for each of said first and second types of white blood cells in said at least one test sample after introduction thereinto of said suspected reactant; comparing said size distribution of at least one of said first and second types of white blood cells from said at least one test sample with said size distribution of said at least one of said first and second types of white blood cells from said control sample; and determining a positive diagnosis where the results of said comparison indicates a difference in said size distribution of said at least one type of white blood cell in said control sample and in said at least one test sample by more than a predetermined amount.